


Maybe there are magic moments

by trubenblack



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Canon-Typical Violence, M/M, Neilmas2019, Panic Attack, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Swearing, fluff and angst kind of?, let me know if I've missed any tags sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-25
Updated: 2019-01-25
Packaged: 2019-10-15 19:10:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17534537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trubenblack/pseuds/trubenblack
Summary: Neil Josten was sitting on a train, more specifically the Hogwarts express, and literally wishing he could be anyfuckingwhere else.- -Neilmas Day Seven: Self choice





	Maybe there are magic moments

Neil Josten was sitting on a train, more specifically the Hogwarts express, and literally wishing he could be anyfuckingwhere else. His leg bounced skittishly as he considered throwing himself out the window but decided against that as he would probably die and that would make all of Mary’s efforts while she was alive null and void and that was the whole fucking reason he didn’t want to be here in the first place.

 

The train whistle sounded and he found himself jumping, he’d have to change that before he met people, he assumed that would happen at a school. He shouldn’t be here if he was honest, the only reason he was here was because he couldn’t live with Stuart. He was grateful to the man for hiding him after Mary died and for killing Nathan, of course he was, but he was pretty sure Stuart was as sick of him flinching away whenever he came near, as Neil was of constantly feeling on edge. Well, more on edge than usual at least, it wasn’t exactly like he’d had an edgeless upbringing. He was getting sidetracked again he had to stop thinking about this before he panicked.

 

A tap on the door startled him and he turned to face it, there was a face staring at him, actually there were many faces, five to be exact, two identical and one with a tattoo. Oh fuck. He’d recognize that face anywhere. Kevin fucking Day went to Hogwarts now? He was meant to be at Durmstrang, Neil had fallen out of touch with watching what had been happening to the boy after things fell apart. He shuddered slightly but Kevin didn’t seem to recognize him, odd considering they’d both watched his father rip someone to pieces only five years ago.

                                                        

The Butcher as he was called in the papers always preferred to use “Werewolf Methods” to kill. Sure the Cruciatus curse was fun for a short amount of time but it didn’t feel like you were hurting them that much. Nathan liked to get dirty, he’d once told Neil during one of their _lessons_ that the problem with most wizards is they only learnt how to think with their wands. Teeth and knives when he felt like it were always more fun. Neil’s scars itched as one of the twins slid the door open, he’d been hoping by sitting at the back of the train no one would be bothered walking all the way and he could stay alone.

 

The boys sauntered in, mostly silent although there was one that was nattering something. It took Neil a moment to realize the loud boy was talking to him. He hadn’t really heard what he’d said, too focused on taking into account all the ways these people could harm him and how to get away if they tried. The boy was staring at him expectantly so he cleared his throat.

 

“What?” His voice was dry, he hadn’t talked in almost a week, he had nothing to say except nods to Stuart and nobody else knew he existed.

 

“I said hi! I’m Nicky and these are my cousins Andrew and Aaron and our friend Kevin, can we sit in here?”

 

Neil considered telling them no but one of the twins had a look about him. It was a look Neil had seen in many of Mary’s colleagues, the look of someone who could and _would_ do something drastic if you pissed him off. So he shrugged and the boys came in. Nicky’s smile dropped a little from 1000 watts and Neil couldn’t help feeling a little glad about it, maybe if he stayed quiet they wouldn’t try to talk to him. He’d never been lucky in his life but maybe just maybe, he could have this.

 

                                                                              **________________**

 

Andrew was having a terrible fucking day. He had run out of cigarettes so his fingers were itching, Aaron was having an angry day because he always got stressed about going back to school and they couldn’t find a fucking compartment to sit in.

 

He had mixed feelings himself about going back to Hogwarts, his first year had been a complete mess, finding out he had a twin at the fucking _sorting_ ceremony, and with that he had a cousin and luckily an already dead mother, if the way Nicky’s eyes hardened and Aaron flinched a little when she was mentioned was anything to go by. They had been sorted into different houses amid whispers because they were _identical twins and shouldn’t they be in the same house?_ Aaron hadn’t talked to him in two weeks before eventually they actually met, it had been a rough experience for the both of them but after three school years and going into their fourth, Nicky would say at least they got along pretty well, or as well as people like them could.

 

Aaron nudged him along the train and he had to force himself not to twitch, three years later and he still struggled to deal with his brothers touch, Nicky’s touch he barely allowed and Kevin had already been nearly stabbed when he had grabbed Andrew. That had been an interesting experience to watch everyone’s reactions to.

 

They made their way down the train pushing past first years that were trying to find seats and other years all loudly greeting their friends, it was enough to give Andrew a headache. Once they reached the back of the train he was giving up on finding a compartment that would allow just the five of them, but right at the back there was one. Inside there was just one boy, he looked to be Andrew and Aaron’s age, maybe a bit younger, his auburn hair was too long and curled into his ears, he kept absentmindedly pushing it back, a bit like a nervous twitch. He was small, probably taller than Andrew but too thin, his cheekbones stuck out so that Andrew could see them even with the boy’s face turned to the window. The boy shook his head a bit like a dog or Andrew when he was trying to push a bad memory away. Nicky tapped at the door and the boy’s eyes fired to them like it was a gunshot. They were the bluest things Andrew had ever seen. Icy and so _old,_ like they had seen more than your average 16 year old. Andrew knew that look, he saw it in the mirror every time he looked in one, he saw it in Renee sometimes when her façade was shifted. What was more interesting though were the scars that covered his face, burns maybe? But what he truly cared about was the way the boy’s eyes landed on Kevin and Andrew saw them fill up with dread. Kevin it seemed did not have the same reaction and instead was just impatient to get in. They went in and the boy’s eyes were darting between everyone and the door and the window while Nicky asked if they could sit. The boy’s eyes finally focused on Nicky and he cleared his throat.

 

“What?” his voice was soft and low, rough like he hadn’t talked in an age, Andrew could understand that, before he’d met his family he used to go weeks without talking because there was nothing to say. He wondered if he could ever make Nicky stop talking for a week. He almost laughed thinking about it, _almost_ Andrew Minyard did not laugh. The boy’s response to Nicky’s repeated question was a shrug so Andrew took that to mean a yes. Kevin, Aaron and Nicky took the seat across from the boy and Andrew sat next to him. He didn’t miss the way the boy curled away from him, he was getting more and more interesting as the time wore on.

 

“What’s your name? Are you new here, I definitely would have noticed you if you’d been here before.” Nicky’s mouth had always been too big. The boy flinched slightly at the word noticed before clearing his throat again.

 

“I’m N-Neil, Neil Josten.” He seemed to pause on his first name either like he didn’t know it or he didn’t want to give it away. _Interesting,_ he was too interesting and that could be dangerous. His eyes kept darting to Kevin who was reading his Hogwarts: a history for the millionth time, Andrew had had enough.

 

“Do you know each other?” Kevin’s eyes darted up at Andrew’s voice while Neil turned his eyes to Andrew’s, a little terror within them.

 

“N-no not at all, it was Kevin right?” _Lies,_ a voice whispered in Andrew’s ear.

 

“Truth now Josten I don’t have time for liars.” This time all the eyes in the compartment were staring at him, Aaron contemplative, Kevin and Nicky confused and Neil… angrily?

 

“It’s rude to call strangers liars _Andrew,”_ Andrew wondered if that was a shot in the dark hoping for the right twins name of if the boy really knew it was him.

 

“I’ve never been known for being polite _Neil._ ”

 

“Maybe you should work on it, I'm sure many people would _love_ to teach you it, you seem like an absolute delight to be around.” Interesting, maybe Andrew had misjudged him.

 

“If you’re trying to hurt my feelings you’re going to be sorely disappointed but better luck next time rabbit.”

 

“Fuck you.”

 

It looked like this year was going to be fun after all.

 

 

                                                            _________________

Neil was going to pass out or have a panic attack he could feel it. It turned out this school had houses that you had to be _sorted_ into. In front of the whole school. By a hat that fucking talked and sang some dumb song. God he fucking hated this school already.

 

“Josten, Neil.”

 

It was his turn, he walked up to the chair, his heart hammering in his chest, and _everyone_ was looking at him. As he sat down right before the hat fell down over his eyes he made eye contact with that boy from the train, _Andrew_ his brain surprised. He found himself breathless once again at just how _much_ those eyes held, even if he was a massive asshole. Then the world was dark and all he could hear was the hat talking in his ear, why the fuck was he hearing a hat talking in his ear.

 

“I can here you, you know,” the hat said in his ear, Neil jerked before trying to quiet his thoughts, the last thing he needed was a fucking hat reading his mind. “Interesting, you’re smart it seems, clever in magic’s but not the kind they teach at this school,” Neil wasn’t sure how he felt about a hat taking a judging tone with him, “you’ve suffered much loss but are still loyal, a temper too it seems. You’ve grown up with much suffering and still you fight to keep going, I haven’t met someone of your kind in a long time. What shall it be, what shall it be? You fear human interaction for your own safety, yet you crave someone who will see you.”

 

“Shut up,” Neil muttered, half terrified that the hat was saying these things out loud.

 

“Only you can hear me Nathaniel,” Neil flinched; he couldn’t help it, that wasn’t his name. “Or maybe it’s Neil, isn’t it? That is who you want to be.” Neil was this close to ripping the hat off and sprinting out of the hall. “Hm yes, I think I know where you belong, better be SLYTHERIN,” The hat bellowed and was removed from him. The whole hall was silent; Neil realized the hat had taken a good five minutes of talking to him. There were eyes on him everywhere he tried to shrink into himself as he once again made eye contact with Andrew, the boys head was cocked slightly to the side and he was looking at Neil like he was a puzzle. Neil quickly looked down and made his way over to the Slytherin table, eyes slowly turned to the next kid to be sorted and he shrunk into himself as best he could at the table, Kevin was staring at him too with a frown.  Finally it was time to eat but Neil wasn’t feeling very hungry, he pushed around the chicken pie on his plate before a voice startled him from behind.

 

“You should eat something, you’ll waste away into nothing.” Neil turned around to once again meet the golden eyes of Andrew, why wouldn’t he leave him alone?

 

“What does that matter to you? You don’t exactly know me.”

 

“It matters to me not at all, but you look pathetic over here.” Andrew slid down next to him, the girl who had been there before had somehow moved away or disappeared.

 

“Aren’t you in Hufflepuff? I heard they were meant to be do gooders and useless, you seem to only be one of those things.” He heard a couple of gasps and realized about half the table was staring at him in shock or fear, or rather they were glancing at Andrew as if waiting for him to do something. Neil knew Andrew’s type he was all bark but also all bite, the problem was that Neil had been living with people like that his whole life.

 

“You’re not very smart are you Josten?” Andrew said lowly, a smile forming on his mouth.

 

“I never said I was _Andrew._ If you’re trying to intimidate me I can promise I’ve lived through worse than you.” Neil cringed as he realized he might be revealing  too much about himself. He knew Andrew noticed it as well as his eyes flashed and his smile, or snarl widened just a little.

 

“We’ll see about that.”

 

“Maybe we will, better luck next time and kindly fuck off.” Neil turned back to his food, intent on ignoring Andrew.

 

“Oh you might be very interesting.” He knew he shouldn’t turn around he shouldn’t but he couldn’t help himself.

 

“I'm not a puzzle.”

 

“But I’ll still solve you.”

 

With that Andrew stood up and left, leaving Neil to wonder about what the hell that meant and about 20 people gawking at him like he’d just killed someone in front of them. God he hated this fucking school.

 

                                                            ________________

 

 

Andrew hated potions, especially shared potions with Slytherin. He hated Professor Moriyama and the way he picked on people, he hated the way he bullied Kevin and got away with it because they _used to be brothers._ Brothers didn’t break their siblings hand because they were doing better at school than they did. Luckily for Kevin, Andrew had never taken well to bullies and had purposefully burned a whole in Riko’s shoe in their third year when he was ranting at Kevin. Kevin had clung to him ever since, and Riko’s desire to make Andrew’s life miserable had skyrocketed. Today he was making them create a cure for boils and something had gone very wrong with Andrew’s. He looked it over and realized his ground gillyweed had been switched out for ground mistletoe. Stupid, he should have noticed, he looked up to see Jack grinning evilly at him. Andrew was going to kill him, if Riko didn’t first.

 

“Well, well Mr. Minyard, it seems you have _once again_ managed to mess up an incredibly simple potion. Maybe I should make you drink it to see what it does.” Andrew glared at him but kept his mouth shut, if anything just to not give Riko the ability to put him in detention, the last one had not been anything he would want to repeat. On the other hand however, he wasn’t going to drink this shit.

 

“In fact Mr. Minyard I think it will be a great learning experience for the _whole class_ if you drink it, maybe they can see what happens to useless students.” Andrew was about to lose it, he dug his nails into his hand hard when another voice piped up from the back of the classroom.

 

“I think that would be against the schools code of conduct wouldn’t it _Professor?_ ” The word professor came out like poison from Neil’s mouth. Riko’s eyes fired to the thin boy that was almost unnoticeable, or had been.

 

“Name?”

 

“None of your business if you don’t know your students by now. Do you get off on bullying students? Is it some weird power thrill you need in order to pretend to yourself that you aren’t a waste of space?” Neil’s voice echoed off the dungeon wall as he held himself up, he may not be very tall but he held himself like he was taller than Kevin. Kevin who was tugging on Neil’s arm trying to get him to sit down and shuddering at every word he said.

 

“Detention Mr. Josten.”

 

“So you do know me! Glad to know you have at least one brain cell in your head. You know you must be so glad you became a teacher, then people _have_ to pay attention to you while you’re telling them something.” Andrew stared at Neil in shock, he knew he had a mouth on him sure, but he didn’t realize he actively wanted to die.

 

“Get out of my classroom.” Riko’s face was red as he hissed at the boy, “Detention for the next week and 100 points from Slytherin.”

 

“Good.” Neil grinned at the man, or more bared his teeth in a smile that made a shiver go down Andrew’s back, that was a smile that promised pain. Although he thought he saw something flicker in Riko’s eye before Neil turned and walked fluidly out of the room. So much for the twitchy do gooder that hadn’t spoken to anyone.

 

The whole class fell silent after the door slammed closed, almost holding their breath. Riko was breathing heavily, his rage could be felt throughout the whole room. Eventually in a tight voice he said “Class dismissed” and everyone hurried to pack away their things, almost everyone sprinting from the door, Andrew didn’t of course, he sprinted for nothing but he did make sure to get Kevin out of there quickly. The last thing they needed was Riko’s anger being taken out on him. Andrew walked Kevin all the way back to the Slytherin dormitory, they walked in to find Neil curled up in a chair staring at the enchanted window. The common room and dormitories had no windows as they were in the dungeons, so there were windows that looked out at different parts of the school through enchantments. Neil didn’t seem particularly panicked on the outside if not for the nervous tick in his hand and his eye. He was twitching and trying not to show it.

 

“You have a death wish.” Andrew didn’t care he _didn’t,_ but he was also not a damsel in distress.

 

“If you only just worked that out you cant be the brightest.”

 

“Now, now Neil that’s no way to talk to someone. I’ll make you a deal…”

 

“I don’t want any deals.”

 

“Then we can play a game. Let’s call it a truth game.” Neil stiffened.

 

“No.”

 

“That’s not an option for you here.” Andrew could see Neil mulling it over in his head, his jaw working as he ground his teeth together.

 

“Fine. What do you want?”

 

“Who are you running from?”

 

Oh he’d pushed it too far this early in the game, that wasn’t very tactical Andrew. Neil’s eyes had clouded with anger and he shoved Andrew away and walked off. Oh well, that mystery could wait a little longer he decided.

 

It didn’t have to wait much longer it turned out. Andrew couldn’t sleep, so he was wondering around the passages of the castle making sure to avoid anything that might be awake, he didn’t mean to walk down a passage and trip over a lump on the floor. He immediately fired into fight more only to pause when he found two blue eyes staring at him. Two blue eyes and a face swollen heavily with bruises everywhere.

 

“Oh it’s you.” Neil sighed, moving jerkily to lean back against the wall.

 

“Detention?”

 

“Right on the Galleon.” Neil sighed going to scrub his face before seeming to remember the state it was in.

 

“I’ll kill him.” Neil’s eyes darted to his, they seemed to read something from him, what it was he couldn’t be sure though.

 

“I’d thank you for being my knight in shining armor but I can promise you if I wanted him dead, he’d be dead. I’m fine it’s not an issue.”

 

“You look like a punching bag.”

 

“I’ve been one all my life. It’s fine I’ll be gone by morning.” It seemed to come out before Neil thought because he flinched heavily at his mistake. Andrew felt himself tense, he had known that Neil was a fucked up individual with more secrets than truths but it was different hearing him say it, in that tired voice Andrew recognized more than his own face in the mirror. He had the ridiculous urge to protect the boy even though he’d done nothing but lie to him. Of course he was going to ignore the urge of course he was –

 

He wasn’t going to ignore the urge.

 

“I’ll make you a deal. If you stay at this school I’ll protect you.”

 

“I don’t need your protection.”

 

“Your face says very differently.”

 

“I don’t-” He went to scrub his face again before growling, “Why would you even want me to stay here?”

 

“You’re interesting, there’s nothing interesting here. I do have one requirement though.”

 

“What?” Neil had tensed up again.

 

“The truth.” He held up his hand before Neil could say anything. “If I'm protecting you I need to know you aren’t going to hurt mine. It’s non negotiable, you either willingly give me the truth or I pry it out of you one slip up at a time.” Neil shuddered before closing his eyes. Andrew could see him fighting himself but he knew the decision had already been made.

 

“Fine. You can’t tell Kevin though. Riko has already worked it out and I don’t know how long I have.”

 

“I don’t owe Kevin shit.”  Neil nodded solemnly before leaning back against the wall again. Andrew sat slowly so as not to scare the boy with a few inches between them.

 

“Okay,” Neil said softly, “shoot, what’s your first question?”

 

“Who hurt you?”

 

They spent hours talking, Neil giving away bigger and bigger parts of himself as Andrew slowly gave away parts as well. It was around 4am when Neil’s eyes were starting to droop when Andrew asked a question he’s been dying to know.

 

“Is Neil your real name?”

 

“No, well yes, it is now” Neil had been yawning earlier but he cringed away from that answer more than any others he had given.

 

“What was it before?”

 

“No.” Neil said. It was the first time he had said that. Andrew cringed at the word, he’d pushed it too far, he didn’t _care_ if he hurt Neil he _didn’t,_ but deep down he knew he didn’t want to break this tentative friendship they’d formed tonight, each of them giving away more of themselves than they had in years.

 

“Okay.” Andrew would never push past the word no.

 

“Okay?”

 

“I’m not going to force you to tell me, you’ve told me enough, the rest is yours to tell when you want.”

 

Neil’s smile could have lit up the whole castle; Andrew realized he’d never seen him smile before. It was nice; he was pretty when he smiled. _Wait what?_ Andrew froze at that thought, what the fuck? Where did that come from? He was too busy having an inner argument with himself that he didn’t notice Neil sliding down the wall toward him, he started a little when he felt a weight on his shoulder. It wasn’t the bad kind of jolt though; his skin wasn’t crawling like it did with anyone else, he made himself relax but even in his half asleep state, Neil had noticed.

 

“’m Sorry,” Neil mumbled, trying to pull himself back up, his words weighed down by exhaustion. Andrew wondered how long it had been since he slept. Before he thought about it he grabbed Neil’s arm and slowly pulled him back down to his shoulder. Neil mumbled something before getting comfortable. Just when Andrew thought he was asleep a soft voice broke the silence again.

 

“Abram. You can call me Abram.”

 

“Goodnight Abram.”

 

Neil’s breathing evened out and Andrew soon felt his follow. As he drifted off to sleep he thought to himself that he hoped nobody came down this corridor in the morning.

 

 

                                                            _____________

 

When Neil woke, his first thought was this his neck really hurt, his second thought was oh my fucking god my face hurts and his final thought was, _I’m leaning on someone._ He slowly lifted his head and turned his head, immediately making eye contact with two golden brown eyes. The events of the night before came rushing back to him all at once. He wanted to tense up and run, he could feel his mothers fists and spells on him but also looking into Andrew’s eyes, he felt an odd amount of calm. He hadn’t been the only one to give away secrets, Andrew had told him many. They had both skipped over childhood but Andrew had told him he hated the word please to which Neil had returned his hatred of the word _Junior._ It had been a back and forth, without the constant power struggle and instead of the feeling he usually got when he talked to people, Neil actually wanted to keep talking to Andrew.

 

“Good morning,” He said softly, before cracking just about every joint in his body and groaning. He couldn’t help smiling at the amusement that hid behind Andrew’s eyes. Andrew retaliated by shoving his face away. “What?” Neil laughed at him.

 

“Stop looking at me like that.” Neil just grinned more until Andrew growled and stood up abruptly.

 

“It’s breakfast, we have classes.”

 

“Oh fuck,” Neil leapt up, “I’ll see you at breakfast I have to get changed.”

 

He sprinted off leaving Andrew behind him, nearly taking out Kevin on his way into the dorm.

 

“Where were you? Why weren’t you in your bed last night? You’re going to lose us even more house points Neil… Wait what happened too your face?” Kevin and Neil had made a tentative alliance on his first day of school when they both realized they didn’t really have any friends in the Slytherin dormitory. They shared with a boy called Seth and a boy called Jack. Both of who were insufferable and Neil would happily use the Cruciatus curse on if there hadn’t been a law about it.  He brushed off Kevin’s comment quickly changing clothes and casting a quick anti pain spell onto himself that his mother had taught him for minor injuries, to help with the stiffness from sleeping on a hard floor at a weird angle. He rushed out to find Kevin still waiting for him.

 

They jogged to the Great Hall together still hoping to get some food. Neil couldn’t help searching out for Andrew though; he made eye contact with him and smiled before turning to sit next to Kevin. And grab some porridge.

 

“Move.” Neil smiled to himself before turning to Andrew who had clearly made his way over. What he hadn’t expected was for the rest of Andrew’s entourage to also be with him.

 

“Find your own seat dipshit you’re the one who isn’t in this house.” Neil laughed when Andrew shove him and slid to the side. Andrew sat down and Neil stupidly looked up. Kevin, Aaron and Nicky were all gaping at him along with a lot of the table, except for Renee who smiled at him before going back to eating. Neil didn’t understand why everyone was always so surprised when they talked, sure Andrew was a little rough around the edges but he wasn’t bad? He shrugged and went back to eating, smacking Andrew’s hand away from one of his strawberries. There was a gasp from Nicky but he refused to look up, instead listening in to the conversation Andrew had started up with Renee. Neil hadn’t realized they were friends if he was honest, that was a bit of a surprise. Maybe he needed to watch her more carefully.

 

After his first class of the day he was met by Nicky outside the door. He wasn’t really sure what was going on but Nicky started talking to him like they’d been friends for years, it was actually rather soothing if he just didn’t try to take in too much of the information that was coming out of his mouth. But he was curious about one thing.

 

“Why are you here Nicky?” Nicky’s smile faded a little as he stopped smiling.

 

“Well I figured if you were talking to Andrew it meant he’s kept you which makes you part of our group. I'm sorry I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” He looked a little crushed and Neil couldn’t help but feel bad.

 

“No it’s fine I just wasn’t sure.”

 

Nicky’s smile was blinding and he looked like he was about to hug Neil but luckily he just launched back into some story about his boyfriend who went to Durmstrang where he did an exchange in his third year. He was in his fifth this year. He kept talking before Renee came up to both of them.

 

“Hello Nicky, hello Neil.” She smiled sweetly before handing a bottle to Neil. “Drink this it will help with the swelling.” Neil had almost forgotten about his bruising. He nodded at her in thanks before she started to chat with Nicky. Neil was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable being surrounded by so many people when three more came up to them. One was a girl in her sixth year who was also in Slytherin, Neil remembered that her name was Allison. The other two he didn’t know the names of but he didn’t have to wait too long for them.

 

“Hi! I'm Dan Wilds, captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team and this is my boyfriend Matt.”

 

“You don’t have to tell everyone youre the captain of the team Dan.” Allison said, flipping her hair impatiently. “So you’re Neil right?” Neil nodded. “What does the monster have on you?” Neil looked at her confusedly.

 

“Monster?”

 

“Andrew! That monster?” Allison smirked.

 

“He’s not a monster.” Neil and Nicky said it at the same time, both turning to each other in surprise. Allison flipped her hair again her lips turning down in a minor scowl.

 

“Sure he isn’t. Anyways what does he have on you?”

 

“He doesn’t have anything on me.” Neil said stiffly, “If you’d move I have to get to class.”

 

“Wait! Wait! Never mind Allison she can be a bit forward!” The big guy, Matt, Neil remembered finally said, “look Neil we’ve seen you around, Renee’s said you’re good people.” Neil turned to Renee in surprise, he’d had maybe three conversations with her in his first month at school and still didn’t quite know how he felt about her, and she was clearly hiding something. But Andrew trusted her and he trusted Andrew.

 

“Okay?” He wasn’t really sure how to respond to Matt’s comment. Nicky snorted next to him before patting his head. Neil had to fight not to flinch away.

 

“Oh Neil, they’re asking you to be friends with them.”

 

“I – what?” Neil gaped at them, what the fuck where did this come from?

 

“Look we know you don’t have many friends here and we just want you to know that not everyone at this school is a piece of shit. Allison said you were rooming with Jack and Seth so they really cant have made your opinion of this place very high.” Matt continued.

 

“Not to mention we heard about your fight with Professor Moriyama,” Allison said, picking at her nails.

 

“Wait what?” Neil was dumbfounded at all this information being thrown at him.

 

“Didn’t you know? Everyone’s been talking about it, you’re the first person since Andrew to stand up to him probably _ever._ You’re the talk of the town as they say.” Allison was looking at him now, intelligent eyes trying to read something from him he wasn’t sure he had.

 

“I just… don’t like bullies?” He said, a bit overwhelmed by everything if he was honest there were too many eyes on him. His brain was yelling at him to run, too many people talking to him. Suddenly, He felt a hand on the back of his neck and almost tensed before a voice said softly to him.

 

“Breathe.” It was that simple really, he just had to breathe, so he did. He looked up Andrew’s hazel eyes, steady and firm as they always were. He looked at him for what could have been 5 seconds or 30 minutes, there was so much in Andrew’s eyes. So many emotions he tried to keep off his face, much like Neil’s own. Once he had calmed himself down he looked around and found a lot of concerned stares.

 

“Oh my god dude, are you okay?” Matt exclaimed. “What happened?” Neil just shrugged a little.

 

“I’m not used to this many people talking to me at once.”

 

Andrew’s hand tightened a little on his neck, he had forgotten it was there, everyone else was looking at him in various stages of pity, except for Allison who Neil wanted to thank the universe for at that moment.

 

“Well you’re going to have to get used to it, just look at Dan and Matt’s faces, it seems they’ve already claimed you as their own.”

 

“Doesn’t Neil get a say in that?” Nicky said tentatively.

 

“Nope!” and with that Allison was off striding away, everyone following after her to the Great Hall, even Andrew who pulled Neil along with him.

 

“Wait Andrew we have potions I-“

 

“We can skip it today.” There was something Neil couldn’t read in Andrew’s eyes but he went with him anyways. Lunch was more fun than Neil had had in his entire life, although he started off awkward, it got much easier to just listen to other people’s conversations and laugh with everyone, even Kevin and Aaron joined although both with heavily confused stares at Andrew, Neil had to admit he was also curious.

 

“Why did you let everyone sit with us today?” He muttered softly. Andrew turned to him a little before turning to face away. Neil thought he wasn’t going to get an answer before Andrew turned back to him.

 

“I don’t know.” With that, Andrew stood up and left Neil sitting staring after him in confusion. Where did that come from? Dan and Kevin dragging him in to mediate an argument about the history of Quidditch quickly pulled him from his thoughts though and he honestly forgot about his detention. Until Kevin tapped his shoulder and reminded him of it of course.

 

He dragged himself up saying goodbye to everyone, and receiving concerned stares from most of them. He made his way down to his detention only to run into Andrew who grabbed his arm as he hurried by.

 

“I'm going to be late to detention Andrew.” He dreaded what Riko was going to do with him. His heart sank as he remembered the way Riko’s eyes had shone with recognition after he had used his father’s smile at him. He pulled his arm from Andrew’s grip but Andrew started walking with him.

 

“We’re going to be late detention, you mean?”

 

“What?” What the hell was Andrew on about honestly, Neil was starting to get frustrated as his nerves built up.

 

“I told you I would protect you Josten, this is me protecting you.”

 

“Andrew I-“

 

“Shut up idiot, let’s go.”

 

                                                            ___________________

 

Andrew knew going to detention with Neil was a bad idea but he didn’t honestly care. A deal was a deal and he never broke a deal. So he went with him, to find Riko standing at a desk in his classroom.

 

“What are you doing here?” He glared at Andrew.

 

“I’m here to be a witness to this detention, I thought Neil and I could go to Wymack together if anything _happens_ to him.” Andrew stood his ground, technically he was somewhat within his rights. Neil was gaping and Riko was going red with anger.

 

“Get out of here right now you stupid brat, you can’t be here.”

 

“What are you going to do? _Give me a detention?”_ Andrew kept his tone mocking, knowing it would piss Riko off more. Kevin had told him a lot about the man.

 

“You little –“ In the space of half a second Andrew had a wand pointed at him, he took a step back but before either he or Riko could do anything, another voice yelled out.   
  


“ _Crucio.”_

 

Riko dropped. He writhed in pain as Andrew watched, like hands that weren’t there were contorting him. Andrew turned to face Neil, his face was set in a grim line as he pointed his wand.

 

“Neil” Andrew called to him, but he wasn’t there. He couldn’t hear him; he had that look in his eyes Andrew knew. It was the look he’d had when he found out he had magic, the look he’d had when he’d killed Drake with the power of his mind or what he’d thought was his mind at the time. The face he had every time he had to hurt someone because it was his only option. But it wasn’t Neil’s only option. Not this time, he reached out and touched Neil’s arm. Neil flinched violently, Riko’s screams stopped as he panted, Neil’s eyes turned wild as he realized what was going on.

 

“No, No, Nononono.” He pulled himself away from Andrew, looking at Riko in horror. He backed up until he was at the wall, his breathing sounded horrible, grating through his throat like there was nothing there. Andrew moved to him as fast as he could.

 

“Neil. NEIL. Look at me.” Neil’s eyes were wild but they came to stare at him. “Neil, breathe.”

 

“Andrew, I can’t, I cant be him I can’t.”

 

“You’re not him Neil. You were protecting me; you know he wouldn’t protect anyone. Breathe you idiot.” Andrew took Neil’s hand and placed it over his chest. “Breathe with me. In, out, in, out. It’s okay.” Neil hiccupped before finally starting to breathe in time with Andrew. Eventually he slumped forward. There was a crash behind them and Andrew shot up and turned around. In his haste to help Neil he had completely forgotten about Riko. His eyes were rabid, he had blood running from his nose and he was just looking at Neil. Andrew was running before he could think.

 

“ _Avada-“_ Riko’s curse was cut off by a fist to the face. Andrew felt his jaw break under him and Riko fell down, knocked out. He looked up when he heard a squeak, a 1styear was standing in the doorway.

 

“I heard screams! I thought, I thought- did he say? Was he trying to?“ she stuttered out.

 

“Go and get Professor Wymack. Professor Moriyama just tried to kill a student.” Andrew growled at her. She nodded wildly and sprinted off. Andrew checked Riko briefly to make sure he would be out cold for a while. He turned back to Neil and found him curled up in a ball.

 

“Neil?” He panicked, thinking he’d been too late, that somehow the spell had fired of anyways, but then he found that Neil was shaking, shaking so hard he thought he might be having a fit, but Neil was laughing. Laughing hysterically, his eyes were wild again and Andrew couldn’t get through to him. Eventually he calmed down enough to look at Andrew.

 

“Why the fuck does this keep happening to me?” he gasped as his eyes filled with tears. “Why cant people just leave me alone,” he sobbed, his body suddenly wracked with sobs, Andrew had no idea what to do with his, so he just held him. He pulled him close and tried to hold him together as he shook to pieces.

 

The door crashed open to reveal an incredibly angry Professor Wymack and Nurse Abby Winfield. She rushed over to Andrew and Neil while Wymack stomped over to Riko before turning harshly to the two boys.

 

“What the _fuck_ happened here.” Neil flinched at his raised voice and Andrew put himself in front of him.

 

“Professor Moriyama tried to hex me during detention and then when Neil protected me he attempted to cast Avada Kedavra.” Andrew stated bluntly, trying to keep the mans attention off Neil who was huddled behind him, flinching away from Nurse Winfield’s hands as she checked him for damages. Wymack stared at Andrew for about half a minute before Riko groaned. Wymack rounded on him. He tied him up with one spell before lifting him in the air magically. Riko cried out but it was too late, Wymack grabbed him and they disapparated. Andrew felt himself relax as he turned back to Neil who had regained himself enough to argue with Nurse Winfield.

 

“I’m fine! Honestly I'm fine! Andrew is the one who has a swollen hand.” Andrew glared at him for that betrayal as Nurse Winfield came bustling over to tsk at his hand. Before telling them they both had to be up in the hospital wing to be watched for shock. She magicked them into two magical wheelchairs to much protest before taking them upstairs.

 

                                                                                        _______________

 

The nurse wouldn’t let Neil or Andrew leave. Neil would have been mad usually but he was so exhausted he couldn’t breathe. Not long after they’d been sat down there was a bang as the doors were thrown open, both Neil and Andrew’s heads jumping to the noise immediately. The first one in was Aaron who looked livid, followed by Nicky and Kevin and then Dan, Matt, Renee and Allison. The final four looked far more concerned than people who had only been hanging out with Neil for a day had any right to be. Aaron rounded on Andrew the moment he got close enough.

 

“You fucking idiot, I cant believe you, you could have been killed. Why the fuck would you punch someone who was casting Avada Kedavra you stupid fucking,” his eyes were filling with angry tears as he wiped them and he turned on Neil. “You put him in danger you fucking piece of shit, how could you do that he could have _died.”_ Neil flinched back from him before sinking into himself, he knew Andrew could have died and he knew it was his fault. He should never have let Andrew in, he shouldn’t have let anyone in all he brought was pain. He was trying to hold back tears as he tried to tell Aaron he agreed with him and he was sorry. He was stopped in his tracks by a hand pressing softly into his. He turned in surprise to see Andrew staring at him with intense but tired eyes.

 

“Fuck off all of you.” Andrew said without looking away from Neil. Neil turned to see Aaron gaping at their hands before he looked at his brother and threw his hands up in the air. He marched off angrily muttering to himself as Nicky ran after him to try and calm him down after shooting Neil an apologetic smile.

 

“Are you okay Neil?” Dan asked, concern clear in her voice. Neil looked at Andrew, and smiled.

 

“Yeah I'm fine, or at least, I think I will be.” For once, he wasn’t lying.

**Author's Note:**

> Wow! Okay so I've finally finished Neilmas 2019!  
> I really hope you guys enjoyed all of these fics! they were so fun to write I really enjoyed actually having a time constraint surprisingly because i struggle to force myself to pump out fics like this lmao.
> 
> Aaron i hope i did you proud with these fics! Thank you for letting me be part of this.
> 
> Comments and Kudos are really appreciated. To everyone who commented kind things on my previous Neilmas fics thank you SO much I've read through all of them and i cant express how much i appreciate them.


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